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Tongue Fern Pyrrosia lingua

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
pih-ROH-zha LIN-gwa
Description

The evergreen felt fern is a slow-growing fern with long shallow, creeping rhizomes.   It produces upright fronds each with a tapered base that range from 12" to 18" tall.  The hairs and scales give the fronds a soft felty feel. 

They make great container plants as well as locating on slopes, tree trunks, logs, and rocks. If locating in containers, use an orchid bark amended soil.

VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.

 

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alabama Gold'
  • 'Corymbifera"
  • 'Cuspidata'
  • 'Eboshi'
  • 'Futaba Shishi'
  • 'Hiryu'
  • 'Kei Kan'
  • 'Nankin Shishi'
  • 'Obake Nana'
  • 'Ogon Nishiki'
  • 'Tachiba Koryu'
'Alabama Gold', 'Corymbifera", 'Cuspidata', 'Eboshi', 'Futaba Shishi', 'Hiryu', 'Kei Kan', 'Nankin Shishi', 'Obake Nana', 'Ogon Nishiki', 'Tachiba Koryu'
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#specimen#epiphytic#fern#winter interest#deer resistant
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alabama Gold'
  • 'Corymbifera"
  • 'Cuspidata'
  • 'Eboshi'
  • 'Futaba Shishi'
  • 'Hiryu'
  • 'Kei Kan'
  • 'Nankin Shishi'
  • 'Obake Nana'
  • 'Ogon Nishiki'
  • 'Tachiba Koryu'
'Alabama Gold', 'Corymbifera", 'Cuspidata', 'Eboshi', 'Futaba Shishi', 'Hiryu', 'Kei Kan', 'Nankin Shishi', 'Obake Nana', 'Ogon Nishiki', 'Tachiba Koryu'
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#specimen#epiphytic#fern#winter interest#deer resistant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Pyrrosia
    Species:
    lingua
    Family:
    Polypodiaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    China to Indo-China, South Korea, Nansei-shoto to Taiwan
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Heavy shade, Deer
    Climbing Method:
    Scrambler
    Edibility:
    medicinal
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Fern
    Ground Cover
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Creeping
    Mounding
    Prostrate
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
    Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Description:
    No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Description:
    No flowers.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    White
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Other/more complex
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Blade is leathery, lance shaped and tapers to a long pointed tip; lower blade is densely covered with persistent white to gray brown stellate hairs; stipe one fifth to one half the frond length.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Hanging Baskets
    Patio
    Rock Wall
    Slope/Bank
    Small Space
    Walkways
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Edible Garden
    Fairy Garden
    Rock Garden
    Shade Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Small groups
    Specimen
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Heavy Shade
    Rabbits